Sisi arrives in Niger to attend AU exceptional summit

CAIRO - 6 July 2019: Egyptian President Abdel Fatah al Sisi arrived in Niger Saturday to attend the African Union exceptional summit scheduled to be held on Sunday.

The summit will witness the launch of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) approved by the parliaments of 24 out of 52 African member states, which will be a landmark event under Egypt's ongoing presidency of the African Union (AU).

According to the SIS report, the president's visit is part of the state's keenness to bolster ties with all African states, which have been intensified ever since the president assumed the chairmanship of the African bloc as of February 10.

Upon an invitation from the president of Niger, Sisi will attend a coordination meeting with African leaders in Niamey, the report said.

The AfCFTA agreement seeks to triple the volume of intra-African trade from 17% to 60% by 2022.

It also aims at reducing imports, improving productive and manufacturing capacities and supporting infrastructure projects in Africa.